31-year-old leaped from 10th-floor deck of Carnival Fascination

The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for a 31-year-old man who authorities say jumped from the Carnival Fascination cruise ship.

Officials say a security guard saw the man leap into the water from a 10th-floor deck early Tuesday. Officials say he fell about 87 feet into the water.

Crew members aboard the cruise ship reported the incident to the Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville command center at 2:09 a.m. The ship had sailed out of Jacksonville about 5 p.m. Monday headed to Key West.

The Coast Guard said it had three ships, a motor life boat and a helicopter searching the waters off Ponce de Leon for the man.

The passenger's name has not been released.

No further details were immediately available.

Copyright 2012 by News4Jax.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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